Ginkgo biloba as an Alternative Medicine in the Treatment of Anxiety in Dementia and other Psychiatric Disorders

Background: Mental disorders are the most common health problems in the worldwide population. Current medicines against these conditions have undesired side effects or limited effectiveness. These disadvantageous pharmacological and therapeutic characteristics provoke a low adherence to treatment in an important percentage of patients with mental disorders. Since ancient times, ethnically different groups have been using plants extracts as medicines for the treatment of mental conditions including dementia, depression and anxiety disorders. Among them are extracts of Ginkgo biloba, a tree in the division Gingophyta, that has been used by millions of people worldwide. Keywords: Anxiety, medicinal plants, oxidative stress, neurodegeneration, neuroinflammation, Alzheimer.